Input/output intercard connector

ABSTRACT

An intercard connector system is formed by a connector matable with a circuit board mounted header assembly. The connector carries a plurality of terminals each having a first end profiled to engage a conductor and an opposite second end profiled to engage a pin terminal of the header assembly. The profiling of the connector and header assemblies are such as to allow multiple configurations in high density arrays.

The present invention relates to a system for connecting closely spaceddevices, such as circuit boards, to cables and the like.

The current state of electronics technology requires the maximum numberof interconnects in the minimum amount of space. The connector systemsheretofor available have not been able to fulfill these requirements.

The present invention concerns an interconnection system which includesa connector member matable with a header assembly mounted on a circuitboard or the like. Each connector carries therein a plurality ofelectrical terminals, each having at least one portion profiled to matewith a terminal mounted in the header assembly, and another portionprofiled to engage a conductor. The header assembly includes at leastone header member mounted on a first side of a circuit board or the likeand containing a plurality of pin terminals which are electrically andmechanically connected to circuitry on the circuit board. The connectorand header are profiled for mating.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way ofexample with reference to the following figures;

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partially in section and partiallyexploded, showing an input output connector according to the subjectinvention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded section through the input output connector of FIG.1; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the housing of the input outputconnector of FIG. 2 with the covers exploded therefrom.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the subject input output connector10 in both mated and unmated conditions with respect to the headerassemblies 12 on the circuit boards 14. Each header assembly comprisesat least one elongated header member 16, 18 of rigid insulative materialdefining a receptor cavity 20 and mating face 22. Ends of the cavity areprofiled to form groover 24. A plurality of pin terminals 26 are mountedin the header member in a spaced array, each with one end exposed fromthe mating face 22 and contacting circuitry of the respective circuitboard 14. The pin terminals 26 may be continuous, passing throughconductive holes (not shown) in the circuit board to extend from matingfaces 22 of both header members 16, 18.

The 10 connector input output is shown terminating a multi-conductorflat cable 28, although individual conductors could likewise beterminated. The connector 10 has an elongated housing 30 of rigidinsulative material with a plurality of slots 32, 34 formed in parallelspaced relation on opposite sides thereof extending. The housing has afront end 36, a rear end 38, a mating surface 40, lateral flanges 42,44, and a transverse rear slot 46. It will be noted, from FIG. 1, thatthe slots 32 extend between the front and rear ends 36, 38 while theslots 34 do not quite reach the front end. Both sets of slots 32, 34have profiled rear ends having the shape of outwardly opening channelswith shoulders 48.

The connector 10 also has a pair of covers 50, 52 each of which has aplurality of tines 54, 56 on a forward leading edge and a plurality ofparallel spaced legs 58, 60 depending from a rear edge and with aforwardly directed shoulder 62, 64 at the free end thereof. Each tine54, 56 is received in a respective slot 32, 34 to engage shoulder 48while the shoulders 64, 64 of the legs 58, 60 engage opposite sides ofslot 46 to secure the covers in place on opposite sides to theconnector.

The connector is also provided with a plurality of terminals 66, 68.Each terminal is stamped and formed from conductive slack material andhas a blade portion 70, 72, a resilient cantilever beam 74, 76, amounting tab 78, 80, an insulation piercing conductor engaging portion84, 84 and a conductor engaging strain relief portion 86, 88. The beams74, 76 and blades 70, 72 are common at one end and extend generallyparallel to each other. The beams, however, are canted out of the planeof the blades to provide a resilient bias when engaged by a respectivepin terminal 26. The mounting tabs 78, 80 serve to lock and stabilizethe terminals in the housing. The insulation piercing, conductorengaging portions 82, 84 of the terminals are oppositely directed forreasons which can best be appreciated from FIG. 2. This allows theterminals to be on a close centerline spacing and for termination onopposite sides of the connector by adjacent conductors of the cable 28.

The connector 10 is assembled by first preloading the terminals 66, 68in the respective grooves 32, 34. This can be accomplished either byside loading or end loading the terminals as is convenient. Next theindividual conductors of the cable 28 are terminated in the respectiveterminal in the manner described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,343,085, thedisclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Then the covers50, 52 are assembled on the connector by inserting tines 54, 56 undershoulders 48 and engaging shoulders 62, 64 in groove 46. It will beappreciated that this will also separate the individual conductors.

The thus terminated connector 10 can be mated with a header 12 by matingin a plane parallel to the plane of the circuit board 14. It will beappreciated from FIG. 1 that this connector provides a very low profile,high density interconnection.

We claim:
 1. An intercard connector system comprisingan elongated headermember of rigid insulative material having oppositely directed mountingand mating surfaces, said header member having the mounting surfaceengaging a circuit board, profiled means at each end of said headermember allowing mating only in a direction coplanar to said matingsurface, a plurality of pin terminals mounted in said header member inpatterned array with one end of each terminal engaging circuitry of saidcircuit board and the other end projecting from said mating surface; anda connector member having an elongated housing of rigid insulativematerial having a mating portion profiled to be received in said headermember in a direction parallel and adjacent to said mating surface and aterminating portion, a plurality of terminal passages each extendingbetween said mating and terminating portions with adjacent passagesopening in opposite directions at said terminating portion enabling saidpassages to have a close centerline spacing, and a plurality of firstand second terminals alternating in adjacent ones of said passages, eachsaid terminal having a conductor engaging first end and a pin engagingsecond end, the first ends of said first terminals opening in onedirection and the first ends of said second terminals opening in theopposite direction, said first and second terminals being insertedalternately into adjacent passages in a direction normal to the axis ofsaid passage so that said first ends are accessible from the respectivesides of said connector and said second ends are accessible only fromthe mating face.
 2. An intercard connector system according to claim 1whereina pair of header members are mounted on opposite sides of acircuit board and each pin terminal extends through said circuit boardwith end portions extending from the mating surfaces of respectiveheader members.
 3. An intercard connector system according to claim 1wherein each said terminal of said connector member has a conductorengaging first end formed by at least one insulation piercing slot.
 4. Aintercard connector system according to claim 1 further comprising acover engagable with said connector member to enclose said terminationportion thereof.
 5. An intercard connector system according to claim 1wherein each said pin engaging second end of each terminal of saidconnector member is planar with at least one cantilever beam whichreceives a respective pin terminal normal to the axis of the beam and bymoving said connector parallel to the axis of the terminals carriedthereby.
 6. An intercard connector system according to claim 1 furthercomprising a pair of covers mounted on opposite sides of said connectorhousing so as to enclose the conductor engaging ends of the terminalsmounted therein.
 7. An intercard connector system according to claim 1wherein each said terminal in said connector member further compriseslatching/stabilizing means. .Iadd.
 8. A connector system comprisingaheader member having a mating face in a connector receiving cavityprofiled to receive a mating connector in a direction parallel to saidmating face and a plurality of contacts each with one end extending fromthe mating face, a connector member comprising a housing having a frontmating end profiled for reception in said cavity, a rear terminatingend, and a plurality of terminal passages extending therebetween, saidmating end having a mating surface for reception against said matingface, said passages opening at said mating end as a plurality ofparallel slots on said mating surface and at said terminating end as aplurality of parallel channels on opposite sides of said housing,adjacent slots extending to channels on opposite sides, alternate slotsextending to channels on the same side, said connector member furthercomprising a plurality of terminals in respective passages, eachterminal having a conductor engaging portion in a respective channel forbeing joined to an electrical wire and a contact engaging portion in arespective slot, said slots being spaced so that each slot receives oneof said ends of said respective contacts for engagement by said contactengaging portion. .Iaddend. .Iadd.9. A connector system as in claim 8wherein each said contact engaging portion comprises a cantilever beamwhich is resiliently biased to engage one of said ends of said contactswhen said mating end is received in said cavity. .Iaddend. .Iadd.10. Aconnector system as in claim 8 wherein said header further comprises amounting surface oppositely directed from said mating surface. .Iaddend..Iadd.11. A connector system as in claim 10 wherein said contacts arepin terminals each having an end extending from the mounting surface..Iaddend.